On this episode of Fault Lines, hosts Garland Nixon and Lee Stranahan will analyze the firing of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, and the promotion of Mike Pompeo to take Tillerson’s place, and Gina Haspel to replace Pompeo as CIA Director. What will this change mean regarding U.S. policies toward North Korea, Syria, Israel, Europe, Iran, Russia, and China—will the chances for war increase? Considering the unprecedented and unpresidential turnover, is this a sign the Trump Administration is in turmoil?
Fault Lines hosts and guests will discuss the narrow lead the Democrat Conor Lamb holds over his Republican challenger Rick Saccone in the Pennsylvania special congressional election. FOX news reports, “the close margin was another setback for the president following Democratic Sen. Doug Jones' victory in Alabama's special election in December.” Considering that Trump won this district by 20% in 2016, is this a bellwether for the November midterms? Are Democrats poised for a historic “Blue Wave” election?
Hosts and guests will also evaluate a possible meeting between North Korean Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump; guilty verdicts in the Percoco corruption trial; defamation accusations against Lee and guest Jim Hoft; the “Gig” Economy; and presumptive CIA Director Gina Haspel’s record regarding torture and destruction of evidence—as well as other important news and issues in the “Divided States of America.”
Scheduled Guests–subject to change:
Matt Stiles, LA Times Correspondent | Topic: Possible Trump/Kim Summit Meeting
Dominic Carter, Veteran Legal Reporter | Topic: Guilty Verdicts in the Percoco Corruption Trial
Jim Hoft | Topic: The Defamation Allegations Against Lee and Jim Hoft
Mark Frost, Economist | Topic: The “Gig” Economy
John Kiriakou, CIA Whistleblower, Cohost of “Loud And Clear” Radio Show | Topic: Gina Haspel, Trump’s announced nominee for CIA Director